Mitra Hooshiar looks back at the life of the Illustrious Iranian writer, dramatist and teacher to generations of students at Tehran University, Khosro Hakim-Rabet; Rodric Braithwaite, former British Ambassador to Moscow and author of Afgantsy asks in his article “Blood and Treasure”: Can an invasion of Afghanistan ever be considered to be a mission accomplished?; Daniel Wagner and Giorgio Cafiero discuss the growing alliance between Turkey and Iran; Ludovico Pisani on Ching Shih, the greatest and most successful pirate that ever lived who began life as a prostitute in Canton and ended up commanding a fleet of 60,000 pirates.

Illustrious Iranian writer, dramatist and teacher to generations of students at Tehran University, Khosro Hakim-Rabet has lived through turbulent times. Mitra Hooshiar uses his book of memoirs “The Seventh Day” to explore his long and eventful life.

Former British Ambassador to Moscow and author of "Afgantsy" asks: Can an invasion of Afghanistan ever be considered to be a mission accomplished? The British in the 19th century, the Soviets in the 20th and now 21st century ISAF is pulling out its troops. What have they achieved and what is likely to happen afterwards?

The Turkish Prime Minister's recent visit to Iran respresents a significant shift in the foreign policy of both countries. The potential opening up of Iran offers both economic and political opportunites for Ankara but both Turkey and Iran have more to gain than lose by continuing to build stronger ties.

Ching Shih, the greatest and most successful pirate that ever lived was a woman who began life as a prostitute in Canton and ended up commanding a fleet of 60,000 pirates, ending her life in genteel retirement, phenomenally rich, running a gambling hall and brothel.

As the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board prepares to meet in Bali, Oscar Reyes identifies some of the key issues that will shape an institution that is expected to become central in providing international climate finance.

Modern urban versus traditional rural Afghanistan, then and now. Time may have moved on, but the problems are big enough to be extremely concerning. The positions of the Afghan state in 1989 and 2014 are in certain respects very similar – too similar for comfort.

A positive spin can clearly be put on recent financial data coming out of Spain but many Spaniards are cynical about the “success story” being trumpeted by the government. This enthusiasm for the “tough decisions” of austerity comes at a high price for ordinary Spaniards.

The Jaipur Literature Festival has not just grown; it has evolved into an Indian show. The global meets local will be one way of describing this transformation. The literature in Indian languages, the culture of the state of Rajasthan and even the endangered languages figured prominently in the event this year.

Marion Meade, author of Lonelyhearts, a biography about West, takes a look at his life in Hollywood and the story behind his most famous work, The Day of the Locust, which remains the gold standard for Hollywood fiction.

As GDP systematically disregards key sectors in the economy and neglects critical costs, no reasonable businessman would use it to run a company. GDP has come to represent a model of society, influencing not only economic, but also political and cultural processes.

When the Moro National Liberation Front declared independence in August last year, many thought that President Aquino’s latest peace deal with the Moro insurgents in Mindanao would need to be scuttled.